After The Morning After
by DMightyKatana
Summary: This one-shot takes place during 6x11, 'Knots Untie.' What happened right after the morning meeting with Jesus, and before Team Family settled in the RV to head to Hilltop for the first time. Enjoy!
**A/N** \- Hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please review as they are sooooo much appreciated. And oh yeah, I do not own any of these characters.

It was barely 6 am when the impromptu meeting featuring the curious stranger called Jesus wrapped, and the various family members dispersed to prepare for a trip to this Hilltop he spoke of. When all that was left was Rick, Carl, and Michonne, Jesus sat awkwardly and looked around at each of them. No one said anything for a few minutes until finally he spoke. "Look, I'm really sorry about-"

"STOP," interrupted Rick as he looked at Michonne then back at Jesus, "just don't say anything else. Carl go check on your sister and get her ready. I-I'll be up in a sec," he said in a way that Carl knew he meant he wanted to talk. Carl gave Michonne one more side eye/smirk before running upstairs, and she averted her eyes again. She had been unusually quiet through-out the entire exchange until she excused herself to go get changed in her room, giving Rick a knowing smile as she walked away. He watched her until she disappeared around the corner, momentarily lost and under her spell, thoughts of their passionate night together rushing back at full speed.

Then, as if waking up from a daze he quickly looked at back Jesus who had been sitting at the table not saying another word as instructed. Once he had Rick's attention again he asked, "Permission to speak?" Rick tilted his head and glared at him, but said nothing. Thinking he might have been right with his first notion that Rick was trouble, he swallowed hard and proceeded to speak again, taking Rick's silence as the greenlight. "Uhm, I just, wanted to apologize. That was rude of me to just come into your private space unannounced. I guess this new world has caused me to forget some of my manners," he gave an awkward chuckle. "I'm very sorry, and I meant no disrespect. Please tell Michonne I apologize," he ended, deciding to quit while he was ahead, considering Rick was staring at him with a murderous look that was making him uneasy, and he didn't rattle easily.

"First of all," Rick finally spoke, "you caught me on a good day, which is why you're still breathing. Second, I don't speak for Michonne or on behalf of her. I won't deliver your apology to her, you're going to have to do that yourself," he said shaking his head, but this time smirking. "So good luck with that. You thought Daryl and I were trouble," he said in low voice. This earned him a hesitant smile from Jesus. "Oh, I could tell she means business, but I happen to be very charming" he said. Rick responded with a raised eyebrow and walked to the door to retrieve Daryl who was standing on the porch having his morning cigarette. He didn't get far as he did not trust this guy at all.

"Hey Daryl, I need you to keep an eye on our friend here while we get ready. We had enough surprises for one morning." Daryl nodded, put his cigarette out and came back in, gun blazing. He was not in the mood for any more of Jesus' shenanigans.

Michonne went about her morning ritual feeling more relaxed then she had been since the beginning of the end of the world. She also felt happy, albeit a little embarrassed. That was definitely not how she wanted everyone to find out, especially not Carl. She'll have to talk to him when she got a moment. As she got dressed and prepared to leave she realized in her haste to throw something on after her and Rick's post coital intrusion, she was braless. And where was said bra? Ummm, probably on the floor in Rick's bedroom. "Right next to my underwear" she said out loud and to herself with her head in her hands. Now she had to do the walk of shame past the stranger and Daryl, who she heard come back in, to go upstairs and retrieve her unmentionables. She figured she'd grab her sword while she was at it, maybe make it less obvious.

As she walked by she noticed Jesus look up at her with a regretful expression on his face. "Hey I'm sorry about before," he said quickly. "Stop, its fine, it's over," was all she said and walked upstairs. He smiled to himself. She was hard to read. She either really was over it, or she was planning 1000 creative ways to use that very sharp sword he saw earlier on him somehow. Either way, he knew he had to dial the charm way up. She didn't seem like she was the type to be fucked with. Noted.

As Rick prepared for their road trip he tidied his room a bit. It wasn't necessarily because he was a big fan of cleanliness and order, but he knew his new love certainly was, and he had every intention of her joining him in his room again tonight. His new love, he thought to himself as he smiled. They had crossed that line, and he wasn't sure why it had taken them so long, and he certainly had no regrets. Sure, thoughts of killing Jesus went through his head once or twice, but Michonne would not condone that. He laughed at himself and his thoughts. He was happy. That was the most concise way to describe his mood. And now they were potentially going to bring back food for the community. Things were good. His smile only grew wider as he kneeled to pick up Michonne's undergarments and neatly folded them and placed them on the now made up bed. As if right on cue there was a knock on the door. "Rick it's me," Michonne said.

"Hey," he said as he opened it and pulled her in by the waist, then stood with his hands remaining there. It was so freeing being able to touch her like this, and she seemed to enjoy it as well. "I'm pretty sure you don't have to knock anymore." "Don't say that too loud, Jesus might hear and take it as a free for all," she quipped. They both laughed at her joke and then gazed at each other as the laughter subsided, each wearing goofy smiles. Then as if rehearsed, they leaned in at the same time and locked lips. The kiss started off tender but begin to grow passionate, reminiscent of the night before on the couch. "Good morning," Rick said when they pulled away, catching their breath. "Good morning," she repeated with a smile like the Sun.

"Lots of surprises this morning," he continued.

"And a few last night," she said suggestively as she reached up and ran her fingers through his curls. They shared another look.

"So uhm, are you OK?" Rick asked suddenly a little nervous.

"I'm OK Rick, more OK then I've been in a long time."

"Me too." He smiled and touched his forehead to hers as he gently squeezed her hips.

After a few more moments of silence, the always practical Michonne suggested that they get a move on and talk some more later. "I actually came for my sword, and, uhm, a couple of other things," she said now a bit bashful herself.

Rick knew exactly what "other things" she was referring and instinctively glanced down toward her full braless breast, and then further south, squeezing her hips again in the process. Michonne knew she was having an affect on him. She also knew that the elevator look he just gave her was affecting her as well. Perhaps it always did, even if it was subconsciously. And if they kept standing there and gazing at each other like this the family was going to be waiting awhile.

"Th-those other items," Rick was the first to speak again, "those are waiting for you nicely folded on the bed." He did not release his grasp on her hips however, until she patted him on his chest and mouthed a thank you.

She walked over and grabbed her bra and turned her back to Rick as she conducted the old "put on bra without removing your shirt" trick that every girl learns at 12 years old. Part of her felt this level of modesty was a bit unnecessary at this point considering all of the nasty things she had done with him the night before, but it was all still new. They would get there. Meanwhile Rick stood watching her in awe. He had seen women do this before but it never ceased to amaze him.

When she was done she turned back around. She had grabbed a fresh pair of panties from her room and already had them on. Her spare bras however were in the laundry, so this would have to do until she was able to shower later. She then walked over to grab her sword. "Hey" she said placing the strap around her shoulder, "we need to speak with Carl as soon as possible. That is so not the way I wanted him to find out about us. I'm a bit mortified, not gona' lie."

"Yeah," he sighed heavily. "Sorry about our morning after getting ruined like that." He walked over and stood just mere inches in front of her and tucked one dread behind her ear, earning a shy smile from her. "I had a talk with our new friend about that." "Rick you didn't threaten to kill him did you?" "Not really," he said laughing at how well she knows him, "but I might've told him that since I was in such a great mood this morning I'm going to let him continue to breathe." He raised one eyebrow and looked at her with a sexy smirk that she was sure he knew drove her crazy. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked as her fingers latched on to one of his wayward curls. As they begin to fall back into one of their epic eye-fucking episodes they heard Carl's voice from outside in the hallway. "Dad Judith is ready, we'll be downstairs." After a brief pause he continued. "And hi Michonne," he said with a hint of humor in his voice.

Michonne, closed her eyes and shook her head. "Hi Carl," she said embarrassingly as she placed her forehead on Rick's shoulder. They both could have sworn they heard Carl chuckle as he and Judith went downstairs. "We really need to talk to Carl about us as soon as possible," she said, but it came out muffled against Rick's shoulder. "We will," he said laughing and rubbing her back.

"Daylights burning people," came a loud voice from downstairs. Abraham was back, which probably meant they all were. Their private moment will have to continue later.

Twenty minutes later Rick came downstairs ready to go. Carl was now on "Jesus duty" while Daryl went out to make sure the RV engine was in good shape for the trip. He sat in the same spot where Daryl had been earlier, gun on the table, staring straight at him daring him to give him one reason. Even little Judith stood in her playpen nearby staring at him. _The toddler too_ , _can't catch a break with these guys_ , Jesus thought to himself.

"Good you're here," Carl said looking over at Rick, "I'm going to go out and help Daryl gas up the RV." "Ok, but we still need to talk son." "I know Dad, we will," he said as he walked out.

"So are you going to pull your gun on me again now?" Jesus asked Rick.

"There's-"

"No need." Michonne appeared finishing Rick's sentence. "We know you won't try anything stupid, because a smart person knows that stupid gets you killed; and you seem like a smart person Jesus."

On that note Rick looked at Jesus once more and raised both eyebrows at Jesus as if to say 'I told you so,' then walked over to retrieve Judith from the playpen. "We'll be waiting outside OK?" He slid his hand down the length of Michonne's arm, giving her his 'you sure you got this look.' "OK," she said, in her 'I'm good and can handle this guy tone.' So much is always said with so little with these two.

As soon as Rick was gone Jesus started again. "Michonne, are we OK for real? I mean I know you don't know me but I really meant no disrespect earlier. As I told your hus-, your boyf-, as I told Rick I should've knocked."

"Like I said, its fine," she answered. "I believe in second chances. Besides, if you come through on half of what you told us about then I'll pretend the whole thing never happened. Deal?"

"Deal," he said with a smile. He and Michonne were going to get along.


End file.
